Sterling Forest Trail Conditions

MuniMan

Well-Known Member
Being that it’s supposed to be 53 on Friday with some more rain it probably will not be totally frozen up. Sunday should be firmer.
 

Cannonbill

Active Member
I rode Ringwood Tuesday, I stayed on the skylands trail which is typically very resilient, it was a shit show. Sterling tends to have challenges with wet weather, I would say we need a drop in temps before Sterling will be healthy for riding
 

sundaydoug

Well-Known Member
I rode Ringwood Tuesday, I stayed on the skylands trail which is typically very resilient, it was a shit show. Sterling tends to have challenges with wet weather, I would say we need a drop in temps before Sterling will be healthy for riding

Most trails in northern NJ are going to be soggy this weekend. A while back I headed over to Sterling on a wet day and after I started riding I decided it was a bad idea and turned back.

A bit off topic, but I took a drive over the river and rode at Sprain Ridge Park last weekend and conditions were fantastic. I'm talking like mid-summer hardpack and dust conditions. I did 8 miles and rode through maybe 2 small puddles. Worth the trip for anyone really itching to ride somewhere.
 
Most trails in northern NJ are going to be soggy this weekend. A while back I headed over to Sterling on a wet day and after I started riding I decided it was a bad idea and turned back.

A bit off topic, but I took a drive over the river and rode at Sprain Ridge Park last weekend and conditions were fantastic. I'm talking like mid-summer hardpack and dust conditions. I did 8 miles and rode through maybe 2 small puddles. Worth the trip for anyone really itching to ride somewhere.
Thanks. Hopefully ppl stay away for a bit and let the trails dry out.
 

Mtbdog

Well-Known Member
Planning to ride with a group on Sunday 2/17 and was wondering how trail conditions are shaping up. Any info relating to the trail is appreciated. How does the system hold up to rain and any other pertinent info as the week progresses will be helpful. Supposed to get rain Friday into Saturday?
 

xrjx

Member
Planning to ride with a group on Sunday 2/17 and was wondering how trail conditions are shaping up. Any info relating to the trail is appreciated. How does the system hold up to rain and any other pertinent info as the week progresses will be helpful. Supposed to get rain Friday into Saturday?

i would expect conditions to be bad 2/17. snow expected tomorrow with more precipitation friday into saturday. the system does not do particularly well with rain or freeze thaw cycle unfortunately
 

Mtbdog

Well-Known Member
i would expect conditions to be bad 2/17. snow expected tomorrow with more precipitation friday into saturday. the system does not do particularly well with rain or freeze thaw cycle unfortunately
Thank you @xrjx appreciated if you could update towards end of week but this is just what I was asking.
 

Cannonbill

Active Member
I would second what xjrx said, Sterling does not do well after weather events. I would hold off in Sterling even if we don’t get the snow, it looks like we will trend warmer and this will turn Sterling to mud.
 

Mtbdog

Well-Known Member
Any thoughts on Sunday ride as the weather has been colder than expected. Does this improve conditions any or do we have to see if get a thaw on Friday? Thank you!
 

MuniMan

Well-Known Member
Chances are slim that conditions will be good. We are in the middle of a freeze-thaw cycle. Temps are supposed to be near 50 today with showers and then continued daytime temps above freezing again Saturday and Sunday. There might be some snow/ice covering the trails in spots. Even with an early am ride, what can harden up over night will probably be a frozen rutty mess and what isn't will be suscptible to more damage.
 

Mtbdog

Well-Known Member
Cancelled the ride as per all suggestions. Thank you for your input to keep the trails right. We're headed to High Mt. Sunday 10am College lot (red trailhead) 100 University Drive Wayne,N.J. 07470 if anyone would like to join. Thanks again for your help.
 

Mtbdog

Well-Known Member
Gonna do a recon tomorrow, but wet more than all else. East facing slopes still have some snow and ice. West facing slopes are wet but not so bad. The fire roads are streams as normal. Looking at Sunday for a ride.
 

MuniMan

Well-Known Member
My buddy hiked Sterling today, hoping to ride. Total mud bog, still lots of ice. No go for now.

I walked it today too. Did the northern 2/3 of it from the Caretaker Lot, cutting across the fire road between Redback and M.E. The north facing parts of Hutch and M.E have a lot of ice on them. Where its melting the trail is really muddy. The usual mud holes on the road section of Hutch were in their usual form. Sunny spots are drying fast but it isn't there yet. The three people riding that I saw were sporting a lot of mud.

I had a Rogue Hoe and did some tweaking and cleaning up of the drainage. It was good to see that many of the drains and water remediations that were built with the trail are working as designed. Unfortunately there also are a few seeps that we didn't even know about that will need some remediation this summer. I only had to pull the saw out once, there was very little storm damage on the parts that I walked.

For this summer it is looking like the NYNJTC/Americorps will have a crew working at Sterling. First focus is to fix all of the trouble spots. If another section of trail is approved by the state it will probably be put on the agenda too.
 
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